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Meanwhile I had sprung into the lee mizen rigging, and from that situation was anxiously scanning the sea ahead and upon the lee bow.
At that instant the first puffs of the land breeze were felt, and the stern of the ship made a gentle inclination seaward. "Help her with the mizen! Let fall the top-sail!" whispered the young captain to those beneath him. Ere another moment, the flap of the loosened sail was heard. The ship swung still further, and Ludlow stamped on the deck.
Her main-yard had lost one yard-arm, and her lower rigging and sides were covered with wreck. She had her fore-sail, mizen, and fore-stay-sail, and spanker set, which was nearly all the canvass she could show. Our eyes had barely time to examine the Speedy, ere the dark hull of Le Cerf made its appearance.
Some of them, having got hold of a cask of spirits, were becoming every instant more and more unruly. "We shall have to clap the whole of them in irons, or lash them into their hammocks," observed Lieutenant Leigh to Mr Stewart. Just then Owen, who had been sent to the mizen topmast head by Mr Leigh to take a look-out, shouted "A sail to the north-west, she is standing this way and close hauled."
The mate sprang into the mizen rigging, and having glanced at the position of the raft, of which he caught sight as it rose to the summit of a sea, he exclaimed, "We must save the poor fellow's life port the helm half a point. Steady now. Get ropes ready to heave to him," he next shouted out; and, securing one round his own waist, he leaped into the fore-chains.
It was a smack, and her lights had gone wrong somehow; she was moving but slowly, and she let the Mission vessel off with a hole in the mizen. The scrimmage would have meant death had any breeze been blowing; but the men took it coolly after the one dread minute of anxiety was over.
From his complete inattention to the tidings, you would think that moody Ahab had not heard his menial. But presently, catching hold of the mizen shrouds, he swings himself to the deck, and in an even, unexhilarated voice, saying, "Dinner, Mr. Starbuck," disappears into the cabin.
From this time until we got to Boston, the mate never suffered any one but our own gang to go upon the mizen topsail yard, either for reefing or furling, and the young English lad and myself generally took the earings between us. Having cleared the point and got well out to sea, we squared away the yards, made more sail, and stood on, nearly before the wind, for San Pedro.
Bill and Tommy Rebow sprang up the mizen rigging, as they were both in the mizen-top, and were soon lying out on the mizen-topsail yard. They were both in high spirits, feeling up to anything at the moment. One of the older topmen was in the lee-earing. Bill was next to him. Tommy came next. Suddenly the ship gave a tremendous lurch. There was a cry.
The topsails are close-reefed to meet the increased wind; but still, as before, she is under quite as much canvas as she can possibly bear. "Heave the log now!" again says the officer. "Ten knots!" reports the middy. By-and-bye the courses are reefed, and before dark the mainsail is rolled up, the fore and mizen topsails handed, and the top-gallant yards sent on deck.
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